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Why is Plain Dealer still ignoring impact of Lead Poisoning in education and economy?Submitted by Norm Roulet on Sun, 09/10/2006 - 15:03.
The Plain Dealer is taking a high road right now in dealing with politicians and the local economy - the same high road of Ronn Richard and the Cleveland Foundation, and most other community leaders in town... we need good education to have an effective economy. The PD quotes Cleveland Foundation President Ronn Richard as saying, at the City Club Friday, "Any plan to reinvigorate Northeast Ohio has to include reinventing, not just improving, public education... In fact, overhauling our educational system must become a national priority". In the Sunday, 09/10/06 Plain Dealer, the PD proudly proclaims: "Newspapers aim to set the agenda for election"... "Some of Ohio's largest newspapers are banding together to urge candidates in the governor's race to focus on three critical issues: kids, college and jobs." Yet neither Ronn Richard or the PD acknowledge the silent crisis of lead poisoning (and, BTW, mercury in our lakes, rivers and Perch-fries) that guarantees each year 10,000s of children in Ohio will not be able to be educated, or become effective members of the economy or society, and will instead be lifelong burdens. As the Washingtonian acknowledges (large PDF) in their more intelligent August 2006 coverage of social issues in Washington, DC, "In DC, hundreds of children are being damaged every year—and the results will be more school dropouts and more crime." For NEO and Ohio leaders to talk about improving education without attacking the lead and toxin crisis is either ignorant of deceitful. I tend to lean toward deceitful, as in the same PD that proposes to care about education, the business section features a puff-piece on the CEO of Ohio coatings manufacturer RPM, which is in the middle of major litigation over asbestos, and the PD uses this opportunity to position that litigation as fraudulent. The interview with RPM CEO Frank Sullivan features he joking about his relations with Sherwin Williams CEO Connor, who is fighting for his life to battle litigation all over America (except in Ohio) against his company over lead poisoning millions of Americans... to these people, harming millions of people is just good business, and the PD celebrates that. But read about the crisis impacting Ohio IT leader Don Larson, who was unfortunate enough to move here from California to get an MBA at Case and stay, and as a result has several lead poisoned children, covered in "Poison Kids" in Scene Magazine, a few weeks ago... if he had just left here before settling in Lakewood, his life would be so much different. Then, read a few highlights from the Washingtonian below and consider, doesn't this describe the problem children disrupting our public schools, who become teens punching bicyclists in Ohio City, and adults killing our peace officers? Do you want NEO and Ohio to get to action solving the core problems of our core communities, or do you want to turn your back on our children and economy, with a media that aids and abets? If you want to help address this problem, write to the PD and encourage them to promote elimination of lead poisoning in Ohio, and contact the Cleveland Department of Public Health and offer your support... email me at realneo [at] inbox [dot] com if you want additional contact information.
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Not an alarmist - a realist on lead
I've posted lots about lead poisoning on REALNEO, partly because it is so misunderstood and under-covered in the NEO mainstream media... still, I'm sure many REALNEO readers say, more about lead pisoning... enough already, right? Wrong - Associated Press just released an article on recent findings that confirms low-level lead exposure previously linked to behavior problems is in fact associated with ADHD. With lery low levels of exposure, risk for ADHD goes up 4X. So, as I've been saying over and over, the core issue of Cleveland's failing economy and education outcomes is toxins in our environment. Read more here.
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BTW - ADHD from as low as 2 micrograms of lead
Another finding of the study I reference above is that ADHD probability increases at much lower levels of lead expoure than the US Government has ruled as safe (2 vs. 10 micrograms per deciliter)... that level is below what most physicians even test for, so our prevention strategies must be revised even further than planned, which was to drop the damage metric to 5 micrograms... bottom lne, there is no safe level of lead exposure at all - zero!
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Add Ohio to the Sherwin Williams list
Now Sherwin Williams must fight lead litigation in Ohio as well as 26 other states - and Sherwin Williams' way of showing love in our hometown is to sue the people of Ohio. We love you too, big brother!
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